The Dance of Ice and Wind
by Aoikoorikaze
Summary: Just read it! Takes a while to get to the important part, though...


The Dance of Ice and Wind  
[Koori to Kaze no Odorikuruu]  
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Recca no Honou is not mine. But this fic is. ^^ Enjoy.   
Don't wonder why it's "ice," not "water." It's cause Mi-chan's cooler.  
It's not your typical romance. Pay attention, cause it's subtle but still sweet.   
I don't understand why I wrote this, when I know Fuuko has Raiha.  
But the idea of ice and wind is lovely. Don't you agree?   
  
  
  
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The Promenade: the perfect time and place for affirming the sweet, young love each couple in high school shares. The task of creating a fun and equally romantic ambience for the student populace is a challenge not to be scoffed at. In the end, both the organizers and the spectators have long been excited to the brim, and surely held their breath to behold what's in store for them on that night of nights, with hours to spend...  
  
"...For every longing heart seeks that perfect moment... to be forever etched inside."  
  
The once genki Domon grew quiet, upon hearing Recca's solemn words. The latter followed suit when his friend had no thoughts to share any longer. They seemed to be indulging in the sentiment and nostalgia of the affair. Now the sight was a startling contrast to what these Hokage team members were known for. Not too long ago they had been all fired up for every leg of the Urabutou Satsujin, ready to offer every drop of energy they had. At least they now blended in with the students slowly pouring into the school's assembly hall: finally, a chance to display all gentlemanly qualities that could be admired in them.   
  
Both were eyeing silently the breathtaking transformation of the venue, appreciative of the smallest details for that night's motif, "Torokeru" ("to be enchanted with"). It would be a cliche to mention how unrecognizable the rectangular room was, which, in the past, was a site for every other bland school endeavor. An even better treat was how the Prom area seemed to extend for yards and yards away. Enchantment, indeed, was at work -- even present farther outside, onto the grasses, flowers, and fountains, and all the way to the first step leading into the school. Yet no leaf had been trimmed, no water source renovated; it came from the heart of the event, and reached out to everything else.   
  
"I know everybody would agree that you'd do anything for your hime, but I didn't know you were that sappy." Ishijima finally quipped, probably uncomfortable with the mysterious magic enveloping him.  
  
Recca grinned slightly. "I'm not. I was reading the invitation." He waved the elegant parchment in his hand so that both Domon and the usher in front of them could acknowledge it, then neatly tucked it inside his jacket pocket.  
  
"Konbanwa, minna-san. According to the table assignments your group will be sitting at number twenty-three. That's at... the left side of the hall, both near the stage and the dancefloor. It's not hard to find."  
  
His eyes followed where the usher's finger pointed. "Thanks, but we're still waiting for my friends." As the usher nodded and walked away, attending to other newcomers, Recca fumbled nervously with the petals in the expensive bouquet he bought for Yanagi.  
  
"Yeah, and his princess too! Isn't that right, Recca?" Domon added with a slight jab on his friend's side.   
  
Before Recca could decide whether to let his suit get crumpled in a brawl, or to let his wits fight back in a retort, the voice dearest to him floated to his head. "Konbanwa, Domon-kun, Recca-kun..."   
  
Like a reflex he painted on his face the sweetest, most gentlemanly smile possible. But Recca only recovered long after he had set his eyes on the brown-haired maiden gazing back at him, the daughter of spring paying him a special visit. He took in her silken-powdery scent, whispering through the pink chiffon that rippled over every graceful motion. Her pale skin could barely be seen through the flowing dress, and she radiated more hues of blush than the white of willows.   
  
Finally taking full grip of reality, Recca slowly presented Yanagi with twelve roses of the deepest red shade. "Good evening, princess..."  
  
"Utsukushii des' ne, Recca-kun! Thank you." Yanagi eyed the bouquet for the longest time, shying away from the glance still fixated on her.   
  
"Careful, Yanagi-chan, your cheeks are almost of the same color as those roses!" Fuuko cheered, with a bright smile on her face.  
  
"And you should be careful too, Fuuko, 'cause you're not in casual clothes tonight!" Recca teased back.  
  
One of Fuuko's eyebrows shot up. "What's that supposed to mean?"   
  
"You're not exactly the girl who wears the dresses... is what he means," Tokiya, who had just come up to them, answered as nonchalantly as ever.   
  
"And so?"  
  
"So even if you're as hot as ever in that strapless black dress--" Domon started, only to cut himself off and hold back a drool as soon as he saw Fuuko's eyebrow twitching.  
  
"--Keep your hands where I can see them. And my dress is in midnight blue." Fuuko reminded him, with an increasingly haughty tone.  
  
"Let's have a bet that Kirisawa won't last the night without tripping over herself."  
  
Fuuko could only yell out a big "Nani?!" to Recca before she could defend herself further.  
  
"You're on." Tokiya agreed quickly, a smug smile growing at the corner of his lips.  
  
"I don't believe this!" she cried out with gritted teeth.   
  
Domon gathered enough courage to join in, despite the prospect of being pummeled by the girl of his dreams. "Aw, come on, Fuuko, where's your spirit of sportsmanship?"  
  
"Recca-kun, I think this is getting out of hand..." Yanagi commented worriedly.   
  
Unfortunately, Recca's maturity had flown far away; he now seemed to be in deep thought, conjuring even greater disaster. "Okay, a compromise... If we win the bet, we won't have to apologize to you."  
  
"And if I do?"  
  
He snapped his fingers as an idea came to mind. "I know! Mikagami will have the last dance with you."  
  
"Baka." Tokiya retorted immediately. "I never agreed to that."  
  
Fuuko remained unconvinced. "How is that gonna work to my advantage?"  
  
"I can't dance with you because I promised Yanagi-hime to be by her side all night," Recca answered promptly. "And Domon--"  
  
"Yeah," Domon asked. "Why not me, then?"  
  
"I see," Fuuko answered, nodding her head and grinning.  
  
"Why not me then?" Domon repeated.  
  
"I'm still not agreeing to this." Tokiya said.  
  
Recca inched towards Tokiya, and whispered to him with as little lip movement as possible. "You went along with the bet. If you were that sure she'd trip, then you wouldn't care about the possibility of having to dance with her. Right?"  
  
Tokiya closed his eyes, crossed his arms and refused to answer.  
  
"So I'll just have to dance with you!" Domon told Fuuko excitedly. "Mikagami here can't be convinced if he doesn't want to."  
  
Fuuko sighed. "I'd rather not win the bet then."  
  
"It's about to start, minna," Yanagi finally said. "Let's take our seats inside."  
  
  
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"I never got to ask you," Fuuko started, turning to Tokiya. "why you're not wearing the white suit jacket tonight."  
  
All five of them were now graciously eating the dinner served that night.   
  
"Yeah, Mi-kun," was all they could comprehend from Domon, in the midst of grunts, gnashes, and the loud clinking of cutlery on his plate.   
  
Tokiya unleashed his Ensui, and pointed it at his neck. Its short tip then glowed a pale blue. "No one calls me that. Be grateful we're in the midst of ignorant ningen. Or your head would have rolled away where you won't find it again."  
  
Domon gulped. "E-eto... why don't we go back to the question?"  
  
The Ensui disappeared, and Tokiya took a sip from his beverage. "I wanted a change of wardrobe for tonight, that's all."  
  
"That's logical. He wouldn't want to wear the same thing to the Prom. And... Mikagami is, after all, full of quiet surprises." Recca commented. "Mmmm... This meal's good!"  
  
"He didn't leave his Ensui behind, though," Yanagi added.  
  
"Well my Fuujin's here, too," Fuuko pointed out. The rest glanced at her magical device, this time strapped over long white gloves. The orbs on it seemed to glow, too. She smiled when she felt her hair dancing in the momentary breeze that surrounded her alone.   
  
"Obviously, I can't leave my power behind," Domon said, pumping one fist halfway up. His ring glinted almost with an accompanying 'ting.' And not surprisingly, his nose twitched immediately.   
  
"And I will never neglect my eight wonderful dragons, especially because I have a duty to protect my princess," Recca said. Just then, a faint golden aura emanated from him.   
  
Yanagi smiled with delight. "And as you all know, my healing services are available tonight, like always. Ne, minna-san, it's like a roll call of the Hokage, only Kaoru and Ganko aren't here with us."  
  
"Too young," Fuuko quickly answered.  
  
"And Koganei-kun will have a hard time concealing the Kougan Anki in here," Recca continued.  
  
A few moments after, an emcee appeared on stage and lightly tapped on the microphone. The students inside the multi-purpose hall turned towards their fellow schoolmate, who now announced that the dancing would begin. It could not be determined whether the crowd started dancing before the music began playing, or the other way around.   
  
Domon straightened his collar, then brushed through the little hair on his head. A confident smile spread across his face. "Awright! The party's finally startin'!"  
  
He dashed to Fuuko's side, and grabbed her hand with both of his. "Please dance with me, Fuuko! Make my dreams come true!"  
  
"That'll only happen if Tokiya won't give in when I win!"  
  
"So that's a promise?"  
  
"I was sarcastic, baka."  
  
While Domon was wailing and whining by Fuuko's side like an unfed baby, Tokiya folded the table napkin on his lap and stood up. "Excuse me."  
  
"Oi, where are you going?" Recca called out to the guy coolly walking away from their table.   
  
Fuuko's eyes widened slightly; a small twinkle in them was a sign she had concocted excitement and intrigue into one potion of a pleasant mood. "Sou... it seems Mikagami has a girl to dance with... Maybe that's why he doesn't want to dance with me..."  
  
  
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It was deep in the night; but the music still played, and everybody kept on dancng. There was no exact hour in anyone's minds, because not one cared to find out.   
  
Recca and Yanagi enjoyed each other's company for the whole night -- exclusively, of course. Everytime they returned to the table for a few minutes of rest they found Domon seated, all alone.  
  
"His face is worse each time we come back," Recca whispered to Yanagi.   
  
"Poor Domon..." Yanagi answered quietly.  
  
"Having fun, minna-chaaaann?" a silly yet familiar voice rang out. It was Fuuko.  
  
"Finally, you're back..." Domon sighed.  
  
"Hai, we haven't seen you all night. Where were you?" Yanagi asked.  
  
"Ah, you know Kirisawa," Recca answered for her. "Having fun with every boy on campus!"  
  
"Well, quite," Fuuko admitted. "This is the night to have fun, after all. And... for your information, I'm confident I'm gonna win this bet!"  
  
"The night's not over yet!" Recca contested almost as cheerily.  
  
"But it soon will," Domon wailed.   
  
"Has Tokiya shown up yet?" Yanagi asked.  
  
Domon shook his head weakly. "K'so... this my worst night out ever..."  
  
"That's a terrible way to curse, y'know," Fuuko said brightly, and suddenly pulled a startled Domon up from his seat. "Let's dance so you'll cheer up a bit."  
  
The two disappeared into the dancing crowd. A distinct "Yokattaaaaa!" could be heard not too long after.  
  
"Maybe the bet is over..." Recca mumbled to himself, then added silently, 'Tokiya might not even show up until the end of the party.'  
  
  
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"Minna-san!" The loudspeaker boomed out over the song playing. "That was the last fast dance for tonight!"  
  
The students on the dance floor groaned, though they never missed a beat.  
  
"So all the sweethearts out there can now get ready for the last three slow dances."  
  
"A... Fuuko," Domon started.  
  
"It's okay, Domon," Fuuko immediately responded, slowly encircling her arms around his shoulders.   
  
He turned red across the cheeks. "Why are you so kind to me all of a sudden?"  
  
"Because I've never been that kind to you."  
  
"I-I... don't know what to say..."  
  
A crisp slap rose up from the midst of the crowd. Seconds after, a large figure scrambled away.   
  
"Gomen nasaiiiiii! I got carried away! Please, Fuuko, give me one more chance!"  
  
Fuuko chased him down angrily. "DOMON ISHIJIMA! I swear! You'll never hear the end of this!"  
  
  
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"Stupid pervert."  
  
Fuuko took a stroll outside to cool down, but went around only in circles. She took off her gloves and massaged the palm she hit Domon with. 'At least I had my gloves on,' she thought bitterly.   
  
'I finally gave in and danced with him... And still he never learns...'  
  
"Dame..."   
  
She sighed for a good three seconds. 'Come to think of it, my night is worse than Domon's... I may have held hands with many guys in this school... but not one of them stayed in my heart...'  
  
"I see you never left the dance floor tonight."  
  
Fuuko's hand tightened into a fist. She was first startled by the another person's voice cutting through the void. But the thoughts that drifted her away prevented a clear reaction of surprise; her tone contained as much solitude as her heart did.   
  
"Ne, how did you know? We never saw you the minute you left the table!" But she decided to brighten up a bit. "So, Mikagami, who's the girl you ran off to and danced with the whole night?"  
  
Fuuko began dancing alone, turning round and round him -- obviously amused by the thought of Tokiya's melting for someone.   
  
"I didn't dance with anybody."  
  
She froze and looked his way in surprise. "Hontou? I thought--"  
  
"--I'm not one of those."  
  
A short, sharp pang struck her heart. 'Was he referring to me?'  
  
"Maa, maa! The Prom's a party. A place to have fun. What's the use of attending if you're not going to enjoy the night by dancing, right?"  
  
Receiving no response from Tokiya, she freely went on with her musings and took a few steps about. "I'm not exactly the hopeless romantic... I just wanted to have fun. Then I realized, one dance after the other, I felt empty. Nobody I danced with had any special meaning."  
  
"Then when I felt like doing a nice gesture for Domon, he took advantage, like he always does... I'm hopeless. Enchantment seems to be a name for a faraway world when you're not in love... Don't get me wrong; every girl is sure to be excited about such a thing. Soreni... Prom wa subarashii des' ne. But... it doesn't feel nice when what you're looking for isn't there..."  
  
"It's sadly ironic," Tokiya replied at last. "that we, renowned wielders of elemental powers, are jaded when it comes to dealing with the enchantment of emotions."  
  
'That is quite an observation!' Fuuko said to herself in vague surprise. "Maybe we haven't had enough time to work on it yet. Look at Recca and Yanagi, they have found each other..."  
  
She absently placed one fist on her chest and gazed up to the sky. 'So many stars tonight... and the moon seems to be in a faint powder blue...'  
  
"The largest jewel on your Fuujin looks like the moon hanging on the dark velvet sky..."  
  
Fuuko's fist loosened as she brought her eyes down. The Fuujin started to glow to a bright whitish-blue. Her face was paled by the light, and the hair strands falling to her face danced about softly. "Yes... that's true..."  
  
"I have an idea," Tokiya said, making his way up to her. His eyes, which had thrown no direct look towards anyone else before, were now straight in front of her own ones. Kirisawa had wanted to reveal the inward excitement she felt from Mikagami's ever-mysterious aura with a small smile; but she could do no more than gaze back just as icily, having absorbed the cool night air that engulfed him so.   
  
The crystal blue sword struck the ground with a soft metallic clink. And just then, the instrumental intro for the last dance began.   
  
"What are you going to do with the Ensui?" Fuuko wondered.  
  
Her eyes widened when he took one step back, leaned forward in the slightest degree, and outstretched an arm.   
  
"Let's see if we can work on Enchantment with our powers."  
  
From the Ensui, the circular area of ground beneath Fuuko and Tokiya froze up.   
  
"A-Are you asking me to dance with you?" she almost disbelievingly. But Tokiya neither moved nor spoke.   
  
The moments played themselves quickly, nevertheless. Fuuko finally managed a smile and rested her hand on Tokiya's.   
  
Once more her Fuujin glowed, and the wind that rose became chillier than usual. The ice spread from the small center, shaping every object that came its way into sparkling crystal scultures. Even the rest of the people were held in their spots as time passed; but the music played on, and this time nothing else could be heard but the song and their own voices.   
  
Fuuko laughed as she had been twirled around by Tokiya. "Mikagami, I thought you weren't one of those?"  
  
"I'm not."  
  
"Why'd you want to dance with me, then? You told Recca you didn't want to do it."  
  
"I am not going to be forced into dancing with someone because of a foolish bet. I will dance with whom I wish."  
  
She found no appropriate response for him, and instead, raised her eyes towards him. Tokiya gazed back, now wordless. Her arms shifted a bit, and they had moved a few meters from where they had started dancing.   
  
Eventually, the only couple dancing reached every spot on the ice. They glided effortlessly from one new view to another.   
  
Countless questions raced through Fuuko's mind when neither voice mingled with the cold, the breeze, and the music. All was calm except in her head, making her heart beat faster for a significant amount of time. But she finally reminded herself of what she and Tokiya had planned to do in the beginning: to put their elements to work.   
  
'And find Enchantment. Yes... magic is not just for physical battles, after all.'  
  
The song felt like it lasted forever as the two kept on dancing. They waltzed, then twirled once, twice, or thrice... then returned to a steady sway, their arms locked as permanenly as their stares for each other.  
  
The music neared its end. Fuuko closed her eyes, feeling with the rest of her senses the dance coming to a close. 'I wonder... Did he have as much fun as I did?'  
  
Cold droplets made their way downwards -- the ice had started melting. At the same time, tiny, ornate crystals fell from the heavens. Everywhere it was a backdrop of water's delightful forms, and with a little more help from the Ensui, they glowed.  
  
Before she tried to look at Tokiya once more, she felt her lips grow warm for a fleeting moment.   
  
Then the Fuujin's wind spread out to a thin, almost-still air at their feet, and later grew into an increasingly thick fog. But neither the flakes nor the drops disappeared; they had only been absorbed, and were transformed into a spectacle of greater rarity. The cold white clouds became encrusted with jewelled specks, emanating small, oft-cerulean shimmers.   
  
'M-mikagami? Was that a...' Her eyes shot open.  
  
Everywhere, numerous twinklings were playing with their eyes. The magic of Wind and Water, working in one heart and mind, revealed far more surprises than their masters thought they could conjure -- a different new world, with the two of them standing right in its very center.   
  
"Hai."  
  
She saw him still looking at her. "A yes... to which question?"  
  
"To every one of them. I had a good time dancing with you tonight, Kirisawa. You're different... special... And--"  
  
Fuuko returned Tokiya's kiss, only now it lasted longer. And this time, the wind circled them, moving strong enough to lift them a few inches off the ground.  
  
When she had pulled away, they started to descend slowly.   
  
"--And this 'Torokeru' seemed to work for us after all," she finished for Tokiya, and gently tangled her fingers with his.   
  
His free hand then stroked her short hair. "Yes... exactly." Tokiya smiled only so slightly in affirmation, but the brighter sparkle told so much more of exactly what he thought and how he felt. Fuuko could only smile in her heart.  
  
She looked up to the sky and gazed back at him, tilting her head to one side. "I enjoyed that dance, Tokiya."  
  
They walked back to the Promenade area, ready to meet their friends.   
  
  
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"I can't believe this night is over... It's like I passed out and suddenly woke up after the last dance." Recca stretched his arms and even yawned. "See? I even feel sleepy!"  
  
"It's really strange... And I feel colder, much colder," Yanagi commented, rubbing her palms together.   
  
Domon rubbed his eyes. "It looks like everybody's as groggy, Reccaaa... aaa... atchooo! Aaaah! I've got a cold! And the Prom's over! Does that mean I can't dance with Fuuko anymore?"   
  
"You blew your chance when you had it, y'know. Not surprising of you anyway." Fuuko said, with her arms crossed, yet still smiling.  
  
"Aaaaaah! Fuuko-chan! I'm so sorry! Please, give me another chance--"  
  
"Too late." Tokiya cut him off. "That girl's found a much better partner than you."  
  
"Nani? And how did you find that out?" queried Recca. "We thought you've gone home 'cause you never showed for the rest of the night."  
  
Domon felt even worse inside, but his feelings only translated into denial. "That can't be! Kirisawa-chan? I'M the love of--"  
  
Recca cut in. "--The bet! Dame... now it's over! Mikagami won't be able to dance with you anymore!"  
  
"Is that true, Fuuko-chan?" Yanagi pressed on politely, ignoring the silliness of her escort.  
  
"Well... I finally found with the person that could bring out the Enchantment of this splendid night!" Fuuko replied, going off into a daydream-like state.  
  
"But Mikagami wouldn't have gone along with us anyway." Domon contested.   
  
"Naze, Tokiya-san?" Yanagi still wondered.  
  
"Yeah, why play the KJ?" Domon added.  
  
"Ah, he's always like that; keeping his reasons to himself." Recca started to answer for him.  
  
"I am not going to be forced into dancing with someone because of a foolish bet. I will dance with whom I wish."  
  
'With whom I wish...' Fuuko repeated in her head.  
  
She stole a glance from Mikagami. For a split second he turned her way as well. His grin only revealed his amusement over Recca and Domon; but she had learned that evening to look for the answers in his eyes. And only she had gained such an understanding with him.  
  
"Aa, this guy's got some deep principles. So why didn't you say so in the first place? We could have thought of a better thing at stake, if you didn't want us to ruin how much you valued dance!" was Recca's reply, half jokingly, half seriously. "Then again, at least we've found out a tiny bit more about our ever-mysterious iceman here."  
  
"But... we never found out who it was Tokiya danced with... ne, Fuuko-chan?"  
  
Fuuko only nodded, with nothing more to say out loud. But inside, she smiled brightly, as pleased with everything as her partner was.   
  
  
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Owari!  
© consideredundone iced*  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~:::~~~~  
  
  
Notes:  
  
· ::Rambling:: I started writing this in junior year, then lost the file. And then... I started missing high school... and... er, the chance to partéyyyy. ^^  
  
· "Torokeru," according to my Japanese dictionary, is "to be enchanted with." Might as well equate it with the word "Enchantment," ne? "Kowaku," which I first used, also means "enchantment," but it has other meanings like "fascination," "glamour," & "seduction." So, no thanks. Besides, I think it looks cooler and feels nicer if it's a one-word Jap term that means a string of words in English rather than a one-word English equivalent. Also, "odorikuruu" is "dance in ecstasy" as opposed to the simple "odori," "buyou," or "butoukai" for "dance."  
  
· On a related note, please excuse my Jap. It's kind of crappy.   
  
· It wasn't easy writing the dance scene, and I'll never be satisfied with what I've done. It's full of imagery, so it's tedious to write. And... it's so difficult to describe how Fuuko's supposed to have a good time as Tokiya dances with her... because he's such a Fridge! But. Please. Just aid the fic with your own imagination. A beautiful, quiet dance. Large ballroom of ice. And wind. You know. Forget every other section of this fic.   
  
· I think Fuuko should be somewhat of a heartthrob, even if she's tomboyish. I.e., girl who has the looks and body, will most likely attract guys, but will never have a meaningful relationship cause she's so carefree and careless... But!, she's a lovely gal. Put her in a sexy dress and the boys should automatically go "hubba-hubba...insert drool here!" Sounds chauvinistic to a degree, but I'd like to think of it as girl powah. oomph!  
  
· Tsk, tsk, tsk. I think it's such a sad thing that Mikagami doesn't know how to express his feelings cause he's so cold. But, anyway, he's cool, so... subete wa daijoubu. 


End file.
